Archive for the ‘Ink’ Category

Today was Fountain Pen Day and I opted for Noodler’s with a Neponset and Civilization’s Blue, a limited edition ink. You might not have heard of Civ Blue, but it is a terrific ink that shades, sheens and works beautifully on any grade of paper. Like a lot of saturated inks, it can dry slowly on paper like Clairefontaine but it’s worth the wait. Here is what Carol at Luxury Brands wrote about the ink when she offered me a bottle.

John and I are donating 100% of the proceeds to the ATO, (Assist the Officer Foundation). The foundation gives the money to injured law enforcement or to the families of officers killed in the line of duty. This is a very special ink. The brilliant coloration is representative of the thin blue line across the black ribbon that fellow officers wear after they have lost one of their own. The “thin blue line” is symbolic of the line between a civilized society with law enforcement or total anarchy without them. I wanted you to have a bottle. It will not be made again and it is almost gone. The ink is fraud proof, bulletproof, and eternal. I just noticed the other symbolic terms in reference to the ink properties and the law enforcement. Not intended but ironic.

As of a few days ago, Carol had a handful of bottles left. So if you want one, contact her directly at carol@luxurybrandsusa.com.

Sometimes I wonder why we use any pen and ink save the ones that make us the most happy. This duo is not only a joy to use, but the Platinum #3776 music nib has special memories as a gift from Dick Egolf of Luxury Brands. Noodler’s Kiowa Pecan was a lucky acquisition years earlier when I was looking for a saturated and shading brown ink. Kiowa Pecan ended my search. Years later, the duo remains a favorite at the Inkophile digs…

Like this:

It’s that time of year, at least by the calendar, when cooler temps, crunchy leaves and anything made with pumpkins inspire a palette for the season. Old favorites were due for attention, but some new inks deserved a nod as well.

Noodler’s 54th Massachusetts

Iroshizuku syo-ro

Sailor Tokiwa-matsu

Rohrer & Klingner Alt-goldgrun

J. Herbin Ambre de Birmanie

J. Herbin Orange Indien

J. Herbin Terre de Feu

Stipula Calamo Verde Muschiato

Noodler’s 1820 Essex Konrad flex nib

Pilot Metropolitan medium

Pilot Metropolitan medium

Pelikan M215 custom stub

Conklin Duragraph 1.1 stub

Conklin Duragraph 1.1 stub

Platinum Century Nice medium

Platinum #3776 music nib

During October, I often load a black pen with orange ink. It’s a small treat. Inks and pens should be fun, no?

A chance meeting of a Moleskine notebook, a Pilot MR Metropolitan medium nib, and Sailor Tokiwa-matsu ink revealed a very acceptable partnership. Almost no feathering and so little bleed-through as to make the backs of pages useful makes this a winning combination. I am not a huge Moleskine fan, but in this case, paint me happily surprised.

Note that the left hand page was not written with Tokiwa-matsu. It produced far less ghosting and bleed-through than pictured.